I was craving some Eggplant Parmesan recently and didn’t need or want to make a whole large dish of it. Instead, I decided to try making individual servings, similar to my French Bread Pizzas.
To begin, slice a large Italian eggplant lengthwise into inch-thick pieces, discarding the rounded ends. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. On the top side of each slice, sprinkle diced, fresh garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, kosher salt and pepper. Bake in a 400° F oven for 45 minutes, until eggplant is tender and cooked through. Flip the slices once, after 20 minutes and sprinkle the other side with the diced, fresh garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, kosher salt and pepper.
Remove eggplant from oven, and sprinkle the top of each slice with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). Put the eggplant under a broiler on low heat, and cook until breadcrumbs are lightly toasted and browned.
Remove eggplant, and carefully spoon a thin layer of your favorite pasta sauce (I used Barilla Tomato and Basil) onto the toasted breadcrumbs, making sure to keep the breadcrumbs intact. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella, or place slices of fresh mozzarella on top of the sauce, and put the eggplant back under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Serve with hot, crusty bread (it is great to spoon the eggplant onto the bread) and enjoy!
